Prick your finger, it is done
The moon has now eclipsed the sun
The angel has spread its wings
The time has come for bitter things

(Marilyn Manson, Antichrist Superstar)

Sometimes things like to go to hell at the same time. All at the same time.

Like the day that your alarm decides to go on a strike, does not ring, and hence you don't wake up on time. Like the day when, if you don't want to be late for school, you have to skip both the morning shower and breakfast (and boy, how hungry he is when he wakes up, now that he is a werewolf). On that same day you're very likely to lose the bus too, find out that the engine of your bike is down, your dad has decided to leave earlier for work that morning, and your mum has suddenly disappeared, probably because she has finally taken in the concept of 'mom, I'm old enough to wake up by myself, you don't need to call me'. Except you clearly still do, don't you?

On such a joyful day, when you manage to reach school, clearly not on time, but still so close to the ring of the school bell that, technically, you are not late yet, as you tell the teacher who's giving you a note for being late. You also get a scolding and a crappy lecture for being late from boring professor WhateverHisName, and the teacher of your first class greets you with a nice, AdvancedEquation, StillObscureMatterForYou surprise test, still warm on your desk, and waiting for you, even if 'you are late, Mr. Dunbar' .

Oh, joy.

Yes, shit never happens once a day, when it happens.

So, because everyone knows this basic fundamental of life, especially a high school student such as himself, Liam knows that he has to expect the day to be a terrible one. When he wakes up, finds out that his alarm has not rung on time, realizes he doesn't have time for showering and breakfast, and also have to rush to school and probably will end up anyway with a note for being late, he panics for three long seconds.

But then, he realizes something else: "Guess what, I'm a werewolf!" he smirks, bolting in the shower. He showers at an amazing speed, (though he has to admit that not even werewolf superpowers can allow you the time to indulge in the pleasure of the flesh), gets out and dressed in twenty-five seconds, grabs his school bag, lacrosse stick and gear bag. He literally jumps down the stairs, landing on the first step in one smooth, very cool jump. He drinks his coffee and eats all his cookies and fruits and pancakes in the next thirty-two seconds, werewolf hunger be damned, but werewolf speed thankyousomuchforexisting.

Then, just then, when it's five minutes before the school bell rings, he bolts out of the window, starts running at his best, slows down at human speed only when the school is in sight, and manages to reach his classroom on time.

"Ah-ha, fuck you, Bad Luck Series of Events, you're not taking me down!" he pump-fists the air.

-Uh, Liam?- Mason asks, slightly surprised at seeing Liam seating next to him in the chemistry lab: -Why are you here?-

Panic.

Liam panics. He thought he defeated the Bad Luck Series of Events, but they've caught up with him. Mason's expression clearly reveals that the bastards have even manages to have the upper hand.

"Wait, what's my first class? What's first thing in the morning, Tuesday? It's chemistry, right? And, I have all class with Mason, so, if he's here, I have to be here as well, right? I did stop the chain of Unlucky Events, didn't I?" he frantically thinks.

Mason smirks: -I mean, why were you this late- he clarifies in a murmur, eyes glancing at the teacher, who just comes in at that very moment.

Liam exhales a long breath, relieved: -Oh, god, you gave me an heart attack, man. I thought I was in the wrong class or something. I woke up late this morning, and I'm still a bit afraid to fuck things up- he confesses.

Mason chuckles softly, opening his book. Liam mirrors him, and spies on his friend's book to check the number of the page the teacher said. He remembers hearing her voice, but his werewolf acute hearing abilities requires a little time, especially in the morning, for him to adjust, and to understand which are the sounds to ignore, and which are those he'd better focus on. Like, he really doesn't need to hear that Becky, in the last row, and Ann, right behind her, are having cramps for their period.

"Ugh" Liam can't help but thinks. He is a boy, for fuck's sake, and, even if being a werewolf has turned out to be quite bloody, still, blood for him only means that something bad happened. He stil can't understand how a girl can take the sight of blood on a daily (well, monthly) basis. That, and being afraid of spiders or roaches. Liam's face wrinkles in disgust, and tries to hide it to his friend.

Not succeeding in it, clearly. Liam rolls his eyes and whisper: -I heard a piece of a conversation between the girls in the last row- he explains.

-And?-

-Period- he simply says, shaking his shoulders.

-Ugh- Mason's face mirrors Liam's previous expression: -So, what time did you get up?- he asks, changing topic. Which is good, because, GAH. But it's not, because, he could never tell Mason the truth. Either he would not believe him, or, worse, he might get suspicious. And there's nothing bad like a suspicious Mason.

-Late enough to lose the bus. I was lucky I managed to run here and be on time-

Shit! How in hell can he expect Mason to believe him? No human and normal person can run from his place to school in less than twenty minutes! "Damn, mouth, shut up! And, brain, can we please start focusing on what we do, thank you very much? Goddamn, do I have to do this all by myself?"

Mason elbows him, interrupting his thinking: -Uh, sorry. At thirty, instead of sharp. So, I told you, I was very lucky. But I was drenched from the sweat-

-Really? You definitely don't look like that, believe me- Mason scoffs and adds a lower: -You're lucky. I sweat like a pig if I even take a lap around the school-

Liam smiles and the lesson kills their conversation.

He keeps half listening to it, and for the rest of the time he wonders about Scott, and the rest of the pack. Being late, he hasn't seen any of them, but Scott must know he's here, he can scent Liam. Although, it depends where his alpha is: if he's close enough he can, otherwise…

Liam frowns a little. Maybe it's better if he gives them a sign that he's alive on the chat group. He slides the pad of his fingers on the screen of his phone, reach the conversation, and reads. The girls, classy smart banshee included, have already texted him asking where he is and if he's fine. There is also Stiles, sarcastically suggesting that aliens have kidnapped him, though the sarcasm does not hide the worry behind the words. Scott wrote asking if Liam has run the whole way from his place to school, 'because, I swear man, I think I caught your scent doing exactly so, but then I thought, no way, it'd be such a stupid idea, risking exposing himself like that, when you could have just called'.

Liam blushes, his cheeks going a bit red. It's funny how Scott is telling this without being angry, like, scolding him and at the same time so not focusing on the scolding part, just worring for him. It makes Liam feel warm, the usual warm feeling that Scott so often raises in him.

"Oh, not again" he mentally winces.

He texts back that he's fine, and admits that yes, he has done precisely what Scott said. His alpha just answers with a "it's fine, next time just call me. I can give you a lift" with a half smiling-half winking emoji.

The bell rings at that very moment, and it takes a lot of effort for the young werewolf not to jump at the shrill sound. He and Mason move together towards their lockers, storing some books and retrieving others. They start walking for the next classroom, when, in the hall, they meet Scott, Kira, Stiles and Malia. The pack members greet him, but don't stop him, letting him go with Mason. He appreciates the fact that they don't interfere with his personal relationships, but still his eyes linger on them for a moment. He silently asks them what's new, figuring out that something happened from their faces. Stiles' forced smile and his expression suggest him to ask in a proper way, later. Liam understands: he sees Theo, Mr. New-Guy, approaching, and the atmosphere between the pack members goes suddenly very tense, Stiles suggesting Scott not to trust the new one, and Scott stating that he doesn't see the reason to do so.

Liam follows Mason. Unfortunately, his best friend keeps talking about the Berserkthings, and it's very difficult for him to dance around the subject. He manages to change the topic by mentioning the soon-to-be party at the lake, and Mason willingly lets himself be distracted with that.

Liam feels bad. For his best friend, for lying, for not telling him. He tells himself that he's not lying, not in the most proper way, but even by not telling such a huge news in his life it feels like lying. He really wishes he could tell him. Stiles and Scott have repeated many times that he can, even that he should, actually, since that would make things easier for him, for the pack, too, and maybe that way it would be easier to protect Mason, too, in the future. It's not like they can tell everybody, but they can choose someone trusted to be in the secret.

He should tell Mason, it's just... how is he supposed to approach his best friend, and say him 'by the way, I'm one of these supernatural creature you keep wanting to know about'?

That doesn't really sounds good.

The only thing Stiles has said about this, was that he honestly understood how Liam was feeling, having been through the same stuff, before. They all have. Unfortunately, this doesn't make it easier to tell Mason, and it's not even a suggestion. Maybe, he should ask Lydia. After all, she's the smartest of them, and quite sensitive too, being a woman. And a banshee, but, that's not the 'sensitive' type he needs now. He doesn't like the perspective of involving her, though, or asking her, when it's a matter between him and his best friend. Best friend whom, by the way, Lydia does not know at all, and hence it is definitely an issue that pertains only Liam.

There is also the fact that being around Lydia is not easy, aside in deadly situation involving their supernatural nature. For stuff like this, Liam really does not even know how to approach her. They're pack, he and her, but he has never asked her something personal like this. He usually approaches Stiles or Scott, and yet this time they haven't come up with anything helpful. It's like they want him to solve that by himself, like they did. Like in a transitioning rite.

Which Liam really doubts it is, and, however, Scott's simple "I'll be here for you, if you need it, after you tell him" was the resolute, final "do it, now, by yourself".

He knows he has to tell Mason. He just wonders when, how, and what exactly to say.

In the meantime, he just lingers, and let things be, hoping they're going to make it easier, instead of the other way around. Is it because he's spent so much time around Stiles, that he has this feeling it's all going to get so much worse?